It’s okay. The naan bread at Guru’s Inspired Food Bar in Hintonburg will be just fine. As a matter of fact, better than fine! The only way to get Ottawa’s freshest, fluffiest, and most fragrant Indian flatbread is to visit this little Hintonburg eatery that is as cheerful, unpretentious, and hands-on (literally) as its owner Gourav “Guru” Sharma.

That slapping sound you hear upon entering Guru’s is the happy sound of the owner hand-making fresh naan bread for every meal, which he then quickly cooks in a real tandoor oven in the back of the shop.

The little eatery, which is just about to celebrate its first birthday, offers a range of delicious Indian-Punjabi fare. But it’s not just the food that’s inspired; it’s also the owner himself, who credits his father and uncle as two key sources of inspiration, along with his training in Algonquin College’s culinary program.

So what’s a Frankie, you might ask? A staple of the Indian street food scene, it is a naan wrap which includes chicken, cheese or egg plus vegetables and chutney, all in perfect proportions. It’s the ideal grab-and-go meal! Guru’s Frankies are served with spicy ‘peri peri’ fries that serve as the perfect complement to the wholesome, satisfying wraps.

Guru has brought another unique culinary concept to Ottawa. Indian-Chinese fusion cuisine, called Hakka, features prominently on his short menu. Rice and noodle dishes offer dazzling flavour combinations, dished up in generous yet surprisingly affordable portions.

This young chef proudly asserts that cooking to please people serves as another source of delicious inspiration. Whether you linger in his diminutive restaurant to soak up the relaxed vibe or bring a meal home, your first visit will undoubtedly lead to many more tasty trips to Guru’s Inspired Food Bar.

Hintonburg & Wellington Village

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